Nonalcoholic beer to Iranians and hot-dog to Germans

The ship chandleries, who provide food and deck material to vessels, have undertaken studies in order to make Istanbul a supply center. Amongst their customers, Iranians are interested in nonalcoholic beer and Germans in hot-dog.

Serkan Arman

The ship chandleries, who supply the food, beverage, deck material etc... requirements of ships that pass in transit or visit the Turkish harbors and who possess a market of 100 million dollars, have taken action in order to make Istanbul one of world’s leading supply centers.

Zihni Memişoğlu, who is the chairman of the Ship Chandleries Association that gathers 22 chandlery companies under its roof, stated that the shipping companies had one main supply point and a secondary supply center in the World and further said the following: “Such locations are determined as per the routes and supply advantages of ships. They are Germany and Holland in Europe, Singapore in the Fareast and Houston in the USA. Although we are not a main point, we have undertaken studies in order to make Turkey the second harbor”.

It stays at 3 thousand dollars
Memişoğlu stated that vessels obtained almost everything from the main supply point and made purchases up to 10 thousand dollars from the secondary point, and further stated the following:

“From other points ships only purchase a few thousand worth for urgent needs. Approximately 50 thousand vessels visit the Turkish harbors annually. A purchase conducted by a single vessel rests at 2 – 3 thousand dollars. For instance, the main supply point of the Iranians is Dubai and their secondary point is Rotterdam. The Greeks like the Bosporus a lot but we could not become their secondary supply point. However, we have managed to become the secondary supply point of some German companies. We are trying to increase the number of these. For this purpose, we have undertaken studies to ameliorate services.”

Food Kioskers Run After Supply
Memişoğlu stated that insufficient chandler companies defined as “one table, one chair” damage the image of Turkish chandlery companies and that beginning from 2007, they will separate the Turkish companies into A and B categories as per their standards. Memişoğlu further added the following:

“Sometimes even food kioskers try to give supplies. We are under the administration of International World Vessel Chandler Association which gathers the chandlers of the world. There is a quality system on which we have been working for the last two year. We will apply it at the beginning of 2007. The shippers’ warehouse will therefore have the opportunity to choose amongst the intermediary companies. Such companies will be checked every 6 months. Any vessel that has received bad service will never again take its supplies from Turkey”.

Greek Shipmasters Want Turkish Baklava

Memişoğlu, who also is the chairman of the chandlery company Gimaş, stated that consumptions varied according to the vessels’ country and further stated the following:

“The Turkish vessels take only one type of fish. The British want at least 5 types. Spices are very important for Indians. A lot of salmon fish is sold to Scandinavian vessels. Germans demand a lot of hot-dog and beer.

Memişoğlu stated that they gave away to shipmasters Turkish – specific foods. “The Greek shipmasters are not happy if they are not presented baklava and especially Güllüoğlu brand baklava. Such gifts are later turned into orders. We have given away nonalcoholic beer to the Iranians, we later sold 100 parcels. We are also stocking the sour sauces of the Filipinos. When we provide all these, people begin to think that “We can find all products in Turkey”.  

Agency Affiliated Chandlery Companies Operate W/o Risks

The ship chandlery companies that visit or pass in Transit the Turkish harbors operate more effectively due to the fact that they obtain both cash-purchase and long term purchase guarantees. The contracted chandleries, which provide the food, beverage, deck material etc… requirements of commercial and passenger vessels, make most of their purchases from foreign countries. The ARK Istanbul managers that we consulted on the subject have stated the following: “We can know the annual requirements and work as based on annual programs owing to our affiliated operations. Even our margin of profit is low, we can still make profits due to our purchases realized in cash and our high turnovers”.

ARK authorities have stated that the sector has largely lacked behind and that they have signed 120 million € worth of contract with foreign countries for 2008. They later added the following: “These goods had to be provided by Turkish companies, however as they did not know the sector and did not take it seriously, we had to realize our purchases from abroad. The ARK authorities stated that the affiliated agencies gave much of the goods they acquired away to the vessel passengers and that they faced difficult situations when these goods could not be supplied or supply